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India will lock horns with New Zealand in Match 12 of the 2025 Champions Trophy at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday, March 2. The encounter will be the final one of the group stage in the tournament.
The Men in Blue have already qualified from Group A, and their opponents for the semifinal will depend on the outcome of their battle against the Black Caps. A couple of players are in contention to be rested even though they have had a week's break since their win over Pakistan.
India's squad for the 2025 Champions Trophy: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill (vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja.
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On that note, here is India's predicted playing XI for Match 12 of the 2025 Champions Trophy.
Openers: Rohit Sharma (c) and Shubman Gill
Rohit Sharma is dealing with a hamstring injury, but assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate confirmed that the skipper is managing it well. Rohit could turn up against New Zealand, although he's unlikely to throw himself about in the field too much.
Shubman Gill has been in scintillating form in the Champions Trophy and will want to sustain his momentum ahead of the playoffs. The opening batter will have his task cut out against Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson and Will O'Rourke.
Middle Order: Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel
Ten Doeschate spoke about the need to have Rishabh Pant ready for action in case he's needed, and the left-hander reportedly had an extended net session on the eve of the match. However, KL Rahul hasn't spent too much time in the middle of the tournament so far, and dropping him might not be the best idea with the semifinals on the horizon.
The rest of India's middle order is expected to wear a similar look. Virat Kohli is fresh off a century, while Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel and Hardik Pandya have been important contributors for the Men in Blue. Ravindra Jadeja has played an understated role so far and could be promoted to the batting unit if the chance presents itself.
Lower Order: Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh
Mohammed Shami's fitness clearly isn't at its best, and India need to strike the right balance between getting him in rhythm and pushing his body past its limits. The fast bowler could be rested for Arshdeep Singh, who hasn't featured thus far in the Champions Trophy.
Kuldeep Yadav's place in the team is also under a slight cloud, with Varun Chakaravarthy being an option. However, India will want a bowler to take the ball away from New Zealand's left-handers, with their chances of playing Washington Sundar appearing slim. Moreover, Kuldeep is still getting back to his best since recovering from a long-term injury.
Harshit Rana could continue in the pace attack, although he's unlikely to bowl his full quota of overs.
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